There is a need to move towards a plurinational state that takes into account diverse nationalities and peoples and incorporates access to water as one of its fundamental rights. This was the conclusion reached at the international conference on ‘Indigenous peoples, the plurinational state and the right to water’ held in Quito, Ecuador, between 12 and 14 March. The Declaration presented at the closing of the conference emphasized the plurinational state as “the most democratic way of solving the problems that our countries have faced time and time again, since it is a new form of political organization [...] within the framework of intercultural and direct democracy.”

The issue of natural resources, and particularly water management, is another major topic of the Declaration. Alongside various civic bodies, farmers’ organizations, irrigation committees and other collectives directly linked to water-use were also present at the conference. The Declaration condemns the privatization of natural resources and attacks free trade agreements that “try to impose models of development that are entirely alien to our countries.”

The conference was organized by the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (CONAIE), the Confederation of Peoples of Kichwa Nationality (ECUARUNARI) and the Andean Coordinating Committee of International Organizations (CAOI).

Further information:

• Declaration ‘Indigenous peoples, the plurinational state and the right to water’